Beverly Offers Coronavirus Testing Ahead Of High School Return

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly High School students are encouraged to take part in one of the school's two coronavirus testing programs ahead of the return to five-day, in-classroom learning on May 13.

Students can get individual tests on Thursday afternoons by signing the parent consent form and appointment form. Testing will take place in the school cafeteria at the scheduled time.

Pool testing will take place on Tuesdays. Pools testing collects samples in small groups of samples and then notifies those within the group if one student tests positive so they can get individual tests. Consent forms are also necessary for pooled testing. Students will be called down to the testing center during the morning of the school day.

Cataldo Ambulance will conduct the individual testing from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is voluntary. Pooled testing is voluntary as well.

"Regular COVID-19 testing of students and staff will help us lower the risk of the disease in our school by finding positive cases of COVID-19 quickly," the school said in a community message. "The testing program will also help identify positive cases in people who do not show any symptoms. Testing will allow us to have regular in-person learning while making sure everyone feels safer when in-person."

Positive cases will be reported to the Beverly Board of Health.

The Beverly School Committee voted last week to have students return to full-day learning five days per week on May 13 — four days ahead of the state-mandated deadline unless a waiver is acquired.

Students will attend classes between 8:15 a.m. and 2:33 p.m. for the final month of the academic year.

A large tent has been erected in the BHS parking lot so students can eat breakfast and lunch outdoors when they return.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)